The invention relates to a valve, and more particularly to a valve for directing flow. The valve routes a portion of an input flow to a specified valve chamber regardless of the flow path to the chamber. When the valve is used in an exhaust gas circulation system, the valve routes a portion of the exhaust gas produced by an engine to a recirculation chamber of the valve that is in fluid communication with the engine.
It is known to use a plurality of trap mufflers to filter exhaust gas in an exhaust system. In a known exhaust system, exhaust gas is routed through a first trap muffler to purify the exhaust. When the first trap muffler accumulates an amount of soot such that the first trap muffler can no longer effectively filter the exhaust, a complex series of valves routes the exhaust gas through a second trap muffler. While the second trap muffler is purifying the exhaust, the first trap muffler enters a regeneration phase to bum off the accumulated soot.
During the regeneration phase of the first trap muffler, air is received through an inlet and is routed through the first trap muffler, through an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, and back to the engine intake manifold. The flowing exhaust carries the oxidized soot from the first trap muffler and delivers it to an intake manifold of the engine where it is recirculated as xe2x80x9cEGRxe2x80x9d gas. After a sufficient amount of soot is removed from the first trap muffler, the first trap muffler is regenerated and again able to purify the exhaust gas.
When the second trap muffler accumulates an amount of soot such that the exhaust pressure increases beyond an acceptable level, the series of valves route the exhaust through the regenerated first trap muffler for purifying. The second trap muffler enters a regeneration phase, wherein exhaust received from an inlet carries the oxidized soot to the intake manifold of the engine through a second EGR valve. After a sufficient amount of soot is removed by oxidation, the second trap muffler is regenerated and again able to purify the exhaust gas. By this arrangement, it is believed that the known system permits continuous purifying of the exhaust gas produced by the engine.
However, it is believed that the known system suffers from a number of disadvantages related to the complex series of valves and the use of multiple EGR valves, resulting in increased fabrication and evaluation costs. Thus, for these reasons, it is desirable to provide a valve routing exhaust gas for regenerating the filters to a single chamber regardless of the flow path to the chamber, thereby permitting the use of a single EGR valve in the exhaust system.
The invention provides a method of diverting flow with a valve through a first filter and a second filter to purify exhaust gas with at least one of the filters and to regenerate at least one of the filters with the exhaust gas. Positioning the valve in a first operative position purifies the exhaust gas with the first filter and regenerates the second filter with the exhaust gas. Positioning the valve in a second operative position that is different than the first operative position purifies the exhaust gas with the second filter and regenerates the first filter with the exhaust gas.
The invention also provides a method of routing exhaust gas from an engine through a single Y-valve to both an outlet and a return to the engine that includes flowing a first portion of the exhaust gas through a recirculation section of the valve in fluid communication with the engine and flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas through an output section of the valve in fluid communication with the outlet.
The invention also provides a valve for an exhaust system that routes a portion of an exhaust gas back to the system. The valve body defines a volume and has a first inlet, a second inlet, a recirculation chamber, and an outlet chamber in fluid communication with the volume. A flow inhibitor is disposed in the volume and positionable between at least first and second operative positions, the first operative position defining flow paths from the first inlet to the outlet chamber and from the second inlet to the recirculation chamber, the second operative position defining flow paths from the second inlet to the outlet chamber and from the first inlet to the same recirculation chamber.
The invention also provides a motor vehicle having an exhaust treatment system that includes a valve for recirculating a portion of an exhaust gas. The automobile includes an engine that produces the exhaust gas. An exhaust gas coupling includes an input and first and second outputs, the input in fluid communication with the engine to receive the exhaust gas. A first filter is in fluid communication with first output of the coupling. A second filter is in fluid communication with the second output of the coupling. The valve defines a volume and includes a first inlet, a second inlet, a recirculation chamber, and an outlet in fluid communication with the volume. The first inlet is in communication with the first filter, and the second inlet is in communication with the second filter. The valve is positionable between at least a first operative position to purify the exhaust gas with the first filter and to regenerate the second filter with the exhaust gas and a second operative position to regenerate the first filter with the exhaust gas and to purify the exhaust gas with the second filter.